According to a lawmaker present at the meeting, who asked not to be named, King Abdullah said that Israeli officials are concerned that moving the embassy would “enflame tensions among radical groups.” Jordan’s Information Minister Mohammed Momani, has also called the move a “red line” for Jordan that would “inflame the Islamic and Arab streets” and serve as a “gift to extremists.”

“This has been a hypothetical for a long time and we prefer it stay that way,” said one Israeli intelligence officer, who spoke with BuzzFeed News earlier this month. “Moving the US Embassy is something which gains us little and which could, potentially, inflame tensions.”

The intelligence officer said that if the Trump made a big show out of moving the US Embassy it would almost certainly “end in unnecessary violence.”

“…On August 18, 1939, the Reich Ministry of the Interior circulated a decree compelling all physicians, nurses, and midwives to report newborn infants and children under the age of three who showed signs of severe mental or physical disability. At first only infants and toddlers were incorporated in the effort, but eventually juveniles up to 17 years of age were also killed. Conservative estimates suggest that at least 5,000 physically and mentally disabled children were murdered through starvation or lethal overdose of medication.ushmm.org

Had a nice sobering talk with my dad, and his recounting of what it was like under Marcos, notably how he and his colleagues were only barely able to get out just a little after he declared martial law under student visas. Even he’s shocked how fast things are moving, even if he’s approaching a sort of resigned zen at this point. Living in the ass end of West Virginia surrounded by Trump supporters (even at the hospital where he works) might not help there.

Johnston has this habit of making it seem like every note, pull off, bend, scratch, etc is the absolute perfect choice. Claptonesque, if you will. But with lots of more nuanced technique. But despite all the technique, still music first.

So this bastard was snorting pharma grade Henry Kissinger dust in the late 80’s???

Are you fucking serious? Henry fucking Kissinger in 1988 at Columbia? What, James Watt, Caspar Weinberger and Ed Meese just not giving the same old wingnut high any more and he had to get out some vintage fucking Nixon era criminality to get his fix??

WTF. I was watching Daily Show where Noah was interviewing the head of the ACLU who was talking about the events of Saturday when the screen suddenly went black and silent. It wasn’t the cable since the Comedy Central logo was showing in the corner. Stayed dead until it went to commercial and after went to “moment of zen”. Now I know I’m paranoid AF cuz I’m not thinking “technical difficulties”. WTF.

Got in a “debate” with a Breitbart-quoting dude on Facebook. Managed to lure him down the primrose path into proving he’s a bigot.

Guy goes off about entire regions of the world being nothing but Muslims that hate America. I explained I lived next door to a refugee family from Iraq and Syria and they’re amazing.

“Yeah, wait until those fucking Muslims kill you in your sleep.”

“Well, thing is, they’re Assyrian Christians. Oops.”

Then linked to the Webster’s definition of a bigot.

He chose to reduce himself to calling me a libtard at that point, to which I replied, “Yay! You’re reduced to libtard! I win!”

I thought this would all make me feel really good because this guy got ripped up on this and other topics he tried to deflect with. But the fact is it wasn’t a fair fight. I was trying to prove how much smarter and glib I am and score points on him. Yeah, I got out a lot of pent-up aggression but it was like playing a game with a 5 year old and celebrating my 50 point win.

I don’t know. Didn’t feel good to shame this guy in public. Didn’t like myself for it. Didn’t make anyone watching it feel anything but pity for the guy…or they piled on and turned on him too.

It’s time for me to put politics away for a few days and take up knitting.

WTF. I was watching Daily Show where Noah was interviewing the head of the ACLU who was talking about the events of Saturday when the screen suddenly went black and silent. It wasn’t the cable since the Comedy Central logo was showing in the corner. Stayed dead until it went to commercial and after went to “moment of zen”. Now I know I’m paranoid AF cuz I’m not thinking “technical difficulties”. WTF.

I searched twitter for posts about my area. Found a young woman who protests. Note, I live in a commuter colony of suburbia, not much of a dem stronghold.

Followed her, she followed back. I asked about protests, she gave me links via facebook of like 5 upcoming. Most in LA. But there’s one in Encinitas 2/11 for PP on the 101. I will definitey drive down for that.

For my evening diversion I watched the last of The Hollow Crown, Richard III. Man, that was a bad plan. Incredible production and Benedict Cumberbatch was… I have no words he was so phenomenal. Too good. Fucking insane and terrifying. I felt like I was watching the events of our current oval office. Immediately after, that weirdness on the Daily Show.

Now I see that list of Dems voting to approve the nominations. Literally sick-making. I will not sleep well tonight.

Nothing to compare to this performance. Chilling doesn’t begin to describe it. I was quite familiar with the play already and expected great things from him but dayum, I couldn’t even breath through much of it.

Nothing to compare to this performance. Chilling doesn’t begin to describe it. I was quite familiar with the play already and expected great things from him but dayum, I couldn’t even breath through much of it.

I have it all on order. Hope I can bring myself to watch. Got the Peter Sellers’ “Being There” for myself for Christmas, and then can’t watch.

Hey! Maybe that’s why 62 million people voted for this fucking monster.

I can tell you from my Facebook feed that Trump voters are loving everything he does. Mostly because it “pisses off libtards.”

Government by spite, given form.

And it’s incredibly depressing how many of these are on the younger side of the scale. Like I’ve griped before, it feels like millenials, at least white millenials, are close to becoming an unreachable group. Either they’ve gone all in on the Trump bandwagon, or riding purity ponies to the ‘Fuck Hillary’ parade. And the sheer amount of violent racism xenophobia, and eliminationism I see from folks my age or younger just seems to swallow everything up to hopelessness.

Tuesday night, around 8pm, Lubbock Police had to disperse a protest at the Tim Cole Memorial near 19th Street and University Avenue which spilled out on to nearby streets. The protest was held across the street from the southern boundary of the Texas Tech campus.
One estimate provided to KFYO News, just after 6pm, had about 300 people participating in the protest against President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on immigration.

I have it all on order. Hope I can bring myself to watch. Got the Peter Sellers’ “Being There” for myself for Christmas, and then can’t watch.

I have watched the entire series now since Saturday and I cannot recommend it too highly. You will love it, all of it. The productions are superb and the performances of all are nothing short of brilliant. My response to this one is testament to how freaking amazing it is. I mean Shakespeare, set in the 14th and 15th centuries and it still resonates with this kind of power.

On the last thread, people were talking about Blumenthal coming out in favor of Gorsuch, saying he’d done it on CNN (and calling Blumenthal a quisling.)

Unless I’m missing something, that tweet was all wrong—

From the CNN article, Blumenthal said,”I have deep, serious concerns about Judge Gorsuch. “An extreme ideologue on the court will threaten privacy rights including women’s health care, worker and consumer protections, and public health and safety.”

His full statement:

“I have deep, serious concerns about Judge Gorsuch,” Blumenthal said in a statement released minutes after Trump made his Supreme Court announcement Thursday night. “Whatever his credentials are on paper, most important to me are the real-life impacts of his judicial opinions and views. An extreme ideologue on the court will threaten privacy rights, including women’s health care, worker and consumer protections, and public health and safety.”

Blumenthal said he “had reached no conclusion” on Gorsuch, but would support a hearing and a vote on the candidacy - a dig at Republicans who refused to consider Judge Merrick Garland, former Presidnet Obama’s pick for that vacancy, created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

However, Blumenthal said, “if I conclude that Judge Gorsuch is out of the mainstream, then I will pursue every legal tool available to block his nomination.”

I’m getting to that low ebb again after all this. I’m really wondering if there’s a way through this when half the goddamn country wants to burn it all down just so they can punch a ‘libtard’ or a brown person in the face forever.

And the feeling that trying to fight back somehow just makes people hate us all the more keeps creeping its way up my spine.

Well, the guy came today to spray my house for Rid-All. He enjoys visiting, so I wanted to know how I felt about the election. (Perhaps he could tell, because I had NPR on.) I replied cautiously that I wasn’t a DT fan, and he said, “me, neither.” Then we jawed for about half an hour (don’t tell Rid-All!). This is a red area, and I was a bit surprised. He said he had a number of friends who had initially been for DT, but had started backing away after he won the nomination. And more who are backing away now. So remember the protests, and keep the faith! And remember to resist!

The title of the 2009 book written by Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump’s pick to fill the conservative shoes of Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, pretty much says it all. It’s called, The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Not “death with dignity,” mind you, but “assisted suicide,” which is how Gorsuch sees it ― and he’s clearly not a supporter.

I’m getting to that low ebb again after all this. I’m really wondering if there’s a way through this when half the goddamn country wants to burn it all down just so they can punch a ‘libtard’ or a brown person in the face forever.

And the feeling that trying to fight back somehow just makes people hate us all the more keeps creeping its way up my spine.

I am not as upset as many here on some of the nominations that the Democrats approved; it is most of the remaining ones, who really pose a threat to this country, who must be blocked. Hopefully, Schumer and the Democrats will work together to prevent the worst appointments from actually taking office.

I am not as upset as many here on some of the nominations that the Democrats approved; it is most of the remaining ones, who really pose a threat to this country, who must be blocked. Hopefully, Schumer and the Democrats will work together to prevent the worst appointments from actually taking office.

They still can’t stop one, even if they hang together, without some defections on the R side.

They still can’t stop one, even if they hang together, without some defections on the R side.

They can stop the Supreme Court nominee. I am hoping that there may be a couple Republicans who care about other issues (the environment, education, labor etc) who can be persuaded to do what is right.

They can stop the Supreme Court nominee. I am hoping that there may be a couple Republicans who care about other issues (the environment, education, labor etc) who can be persuaded to do what is right.

Yep, and I don’t care if they sit on the Supreme Court nominee for four years.

They can stop the Supreme Court nominee. I am hoping that there may be a couple Republicans who care about other issues (the environment, education, labor etc) who can be persuaded to do what is right.

Democrats can’t stop the supreme court nominee. What they can (and should) do is oblige McConnell to end the filibuster if he wants to get this nomination through.

They still can’t stop one, even if they hang together, without some defections on the R side.

That’s true. However the symbolism of resistance and holding together, showing some fucking resolve for once, is EVERYTHING. Goddammit, Americans in the many, many thousands are standing up, protesting on the streets and in airports throughout the country, in red states and blue, pleading for some leadership - our elected leadership who vowed to stand for us and our Constitution, to protect us from foes foreign and DOMESTIC. Even if they lose, they owe us that resolve to stand and fight with us or forever pay the price we exact.

They still can’t stop one, even if they hang together, without some defections on the R side.

Well, here in south by dog carolina, our state dem chair put a call out for letters to our esteemed republican senators. He’s going to hand-deliver them with a live facebook event. I didn’t waste my time writing to Tim Scott because he is a worthless do-nothing asshole, but here’s my letter to Lindsey Graham.

My senators are Durbin and Duckworth, so I am lucky there. My rep has never expressed a thought separate from the party, so your letter won’t work for him. I’ve sent him some sharp emails, and gotten nothing but press releases back. I think I’m going to write up something and take it to his local office, and let them hear me. Will make an effort to be nice and midwestern and polite!

My senators are Durbin and Duckworth, so I am lucky there. My rep has never expressed a thought separate from the party, so your letter won’t work for him. I’ve sent him some sharp emails, and gotten nothing but press releases back. I think I’m going to write up something and take it to his local office, and let them hear me. Will make an effort to be nice and midwestern and polite!

My rep, Al Green, is a good guy. He will always fight the good fight. My Senators are Cornyn and Cruz. Wasted time there.

My senators are Durbin and Duckworth, so I am lucky there. My rep has never expressed a thought separate from the party, so your letter won’t work for him. I’ve sent him some sharp emails, and gotten nothing but press releases back. I think I’m going to write up something and take it to his local office, and let them hear me. Will make an effort to be nice and midwestern and polite!

My rep is a worthless back bencher who is thrilled with the yam’s SC pick and regulation rollbacks. He said not one word about the ban. Interesting will be the effect it has on tourism—I imagine that Canadians are going to be hesitant to spend their money here in Amurikkka right now (the big Canadian-America festivities take place in March), and he represents a tourist area that gets about a million Canadian visitors a year—plus lots of Europeans.

I am not as upset as many here on some of the nominations that the Democrats approved; it is most of the remaining ones, who really pose a threat to this country, who must be blocked. Hopefully, Schumer and the Democrats will work together to prevent the worst appointments from actually taking office.

I’m of two minds. Part wants to stand in front of everything, every nomination, every Executive Order, every bill. But the other part realizes that there are differences between the things that would happen with ANY Republican President, and those that would ONLY happen with Trump.

It’s important to realize that as obstructionist as McConnell et al. were, they didn’t literally try to stop everything.Clinton, for example, came out of committe with a 16:1 recommendation, and was confirmed with a 94:2 vote. So, do we spend our effort trying to stop EVERY SINGLE NOMINATION? Even the ones that, for example, Jeb Bush would nominate? If we do that, how do we differentiate the TRULY egregious ones, like DeVos?

I HATE that that orange pigfucker and his puppetmasters get to make any decisions AT ALL, but if we try to stop EVERYTHING, we’ll get worn out with failing and the people who are not stuck on Trump will rightly say we’re just opposing EVERYTHING.

I’m freaking out. I’ve got rum and ciggie butts (yeah, after 6+ years of quitting) and my nails are gnawed. I’ve also got YouTube but if I turn that on it will be dawn before I crash and my day will be lost.

I’m freaking out. I’ve got rum and ciggie butts (yeah, after 6+ years of quitting) and my nails are gnawed. I’ve also got YouTube but if I turn that on it will be dawn before I crash and my day will be lost.

I’m for loudly opposing the most horrendous, like DeVos and Sessions. The only way we can stop them is by flipping some Republicans, which is why I concentrated on those in my letter to Graham—occasionally, he has actually done the right thing (not often, but occasionally.) I tried to be polite and appeal to his “better angels.” Probably won’t be worth a damn, but…

I think on some of the others, our peeps should definitely voice their objections in no uncertain terms and get as much face time to voice them as possible. But I’m not ready to primary or tag as quislings people who voted for Elaine Chao or Nikki Haley (as much as I hate that woman and think she’s stupid and unqualified. In fact, believe that her stint at the UN will be a total dead end, and I’d rather have her there than running for VP or President later on.)

Now, any Dem who votes for DeVos will have my burning wrath with the heat of a thousand suns.

I’m virulently opposed to both Sessions and DeVos. But Sessions is much the more dangerous. The man sees the law and the Constitution as some kind of plaything to get what he wants, and AG is a very dangerous place for someone with so little respect for the law.

I think on some of the others, our peeps should definitely voice their objections in no uncertain terms and get as much face time to voice them as possible. But I’m not ready to primary or tag as quislings people who voted for Elaine Chao or Nikki Haley (as much as I hate that woman and think she’s stupid and unqualified. In fact, believe that her stint at the UN will be a total dead end, and I’d rather have her there than running for VP or President later on.)

Now, any Dem who votes for DeVos will have my burning wrath with the heat of a thousand suns.

I agree with you; even Rick Perry doesn’t really upset me. Incompetence is tolerable but those like DeVos whose mission is to destroy the agency they represent must be stopped by any means possible.

I’m virulently opposed to both Sessions and DeVos. But Sessions is much the more dangerous. The man sees the law and the Constitution as some kind of plaything to get what he wants, and AG is a very dangerous place for someone with so little respect for the law.

And DeVos sees education as a way to put money in private pockets and indoctrinate kids into dominionist bullshit. It’s hard for me to choose which is more horrible—they are both heinous.

I guess Sessions would have more widespread opportunities to fuck things up—particularly voting rights, women’s rights, LGBT rights, civil rights—OK—I’ve just convinced myself Sessions is worse. But I truly hate and fear both of them.

And DeVos sees education as a way to put money in private pockets and indoctrinate kids into dominionist bullshit. It’s hard for me to choose which is more horrible—they are both heinous.

I guess Sessions would have more widespread opportunities to fuck things up—particularly voting rights, women’s rights, LGBT rights, civil rights—OK—I’ve just convinced myself Sessions is worse. But I truly hate and fear both of them.

One is doom for today (Sessions) the other is doom for a generation (DeVos). I started teaching biology at [major TX state university] in 1984 and for the next 24 years saw a shocking demise in the educational preparedness of my students. (Thanks, Ronnie!) It’s one of the biggest reasons I retired early - I was spending most of my efforts doing remedial tutoring, trying to bring too many up to freaking high school level. The whole increasing creationist thing got beyond my capacity for tolerance. And that’s without DeVos and now Franklin Graham, holy crap.

Our populace is now frighteningly ignorant and it has resulted in Trump. To see our kids dumbed down and indoctrinated even more fates us to a new dark ages.

Prediction: When LA’s bid fails, Trump will launch into a twittercane about how the city being a “sanctuary city” scared off the IOC because all them “illegals” are creating such a hostile environment that no country feels safe sending its athletes there.

And when the IOC or someone close to the negotiations corrects the record that Trump’s isolationist/bigoted policies are what killed the bid, he’ll flip to screaming about how corrupt they are, how they’re “anti-American,” and how the Olympics are just one more example of other countries trying to exercise control over America. The irony of his saying such a thing as Putin will no doubt be speaking in “solidarity” with him will be totally lost on the press.

Prediction: When LA’s bid fails, Trump will launch into a twittercane about how the city being a “sanctuary city” scared off the IOC because all them “illegals” are creating such a hostile environment that no country feels safe sending its athletes there.

And when the IOC or someone close to the negotiations corrects the record that Trump’s isolationist/bigoted policies are what killed the bid, he’ll flip to screaming about how corrupt they are, how they’re “anti-American,” and how the Olympics are just one more example of other countries trying to exercise control over America. The irony of his saying such a thing as Putin will no doubt be speaking in “solidarity” with him will be totally lost on the press.

Or…he’ll send Mitt to salvage the bid for Olympics, then cut him off at the knees to further humiliate Mittens.

‘A Stolen Seat… Court Packing’… ‘This Has Never Happened Before In The History Of The United States, Never’… ‘A Constitutionally Damaging Power Grab… Illegitimate’… ‘Flat Out Theft’… Schumer Hints At Filibuster… GORSUCH: Scalia 2.0?… ‘Another Scalia’… A History Of Siding With The Police…

Thanks to Justin Trudeau’s office—where did you see that they apologized?

That’s pretty much the best you’ll ever get out of FOX

Within hours, Fox News apologised for the error. “foxnews.com initially corrected the misreported information with a tweet and an update to the story on Monday. The earlier tweets have now been deleted,” Refet Kaplan, the managing director at foxnews.com, said in a statement. “We regret the error.”

I’m virulently opposed to both Sessions and DeVos. But Sessions is much the more dangerous. The man sees the law and the Constitution as some kind of plaything to get what he wants, and AG is a very dangerous place for someone with so little respect for the law.

I’m of the opinion that DeVos is more dangerous. The point in her nomination is to destroy the education of children.

If Sessions is nominated, it would be horrible for civil rights but could eventually be fixed.

If the education system is destroyed, then children can be turned into apparatchiks or propagandised into Dominionists’ Christian beliefs with tax money.

It is not lost on me that no Christian denomination, even the quisling “liberal” ones, have condemned DeVos or stood up for secular public education free of religious influence.

Which is why I no longer post anything political or even comment on such posts on FB. If I want a political rant, I come here or go to other political blog sites.

I reached that point when Nixon was headed for impeachment, when I was fourteen or so. I have never had a reason to change my opinion.

I’m not on Facebook so I don’t have that problem. I save my political discussions for here, Wonkette, and Daily Kos, along with the local Listserv I am on that has turned into a hotbed of political resistance (unfortunately four hundred miles away in Omaha, but that’s local for me).

I have not written anything to the regional paper since the election, since I am not sure that would be safe any more. I have only written my monthly articles for the county paper on flag etiquette each month (I sent my February article with the oddball history of Presidents Day a couple days ago - I could post that here as it is interesting for amateur history buffs.)

I’m not on Facebook so I don’t have that problem. I save my political discussions for here, Wonkette, and Daily Kos, along with the local Listserv I am on that has turned into a hotbed of political resistance (unfortunately four hundred miles away in Omaha, but that’s local for me).

I joined FB because I found it was a good way to advertise gigs or arrange sessions. And to use the chat function to keep in touch with far-flung family and friends.

But I really do not want to see anything there besides what folks are up to, cute pet & kiddie pics & vids, silly jokes & memes and upcoming social & cultural events.

Most anything else gets deleted and persistent political posters get blocked.

A most mysterious term, this appears in the middle of the nineteenth century, apparently originally an English dialect term for which no antecedents are known. The English Dialect Dictionary of the end of the century has quocken, to vomit or choke, and quocker, a man who goes harvesting at some distance from home, neither of which is any help at all in explaining a word that means a wooden puppet on a string.

It is recorded best in John Camden Hotten’s A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words of 1859:

The term quockerwodger, although referring to a wooden toy figure which jerks its limbs about when pulled by a string, has been supplemented with a political meaning. A pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else, is now often termed a quockerwodger.

Older readers may remember the toy. It was a wooden puppet whose legs and arms were connected only loosely to its body. It was suspended by a single string connected to the head. By jerking the string you could make the puppet flail about in amusing and ridiculous ways. You can see how the political meaning could easily have grown out of that.

Though it is widely recorded in dictionaries of slang in the latter part of the nineteenth century, with Farmer and Henley even describing it as common in Slang and Its Analogues in 1892, and it continues to be included in works on historical slang to the present day, it has rarely appeared in print. The only example I’ve been able to find is in a book of satires edited by William Nation published in 1880: “The shameless arts of the sycophant are not monopolised by Mr. Quocker-wodger and his congeners.”

OTOH, this is out-of-its time plane is real. It’s the Cygnet, a tetrahedonal airframe built by Alexander Graham Bell. For a short while it held the heavier-than-air distance record, flown by a young man named Selfridge. Yes, that Selfridge, the first US Army pilot and first US Army aviation fatality.

Out of curiosity, how is the Jewish-American community reacting to the Trump administration?

There are some Trumporrhoids among us who were all HURR HURR IVANKA & JARED ARE THE MORDECAI & ESTHER OF OUR TIME!!!! then there was some bitter disappointment when they went driving around in a limo on the Sabbath to various Inauguration festivities, and also that Jared has been shoved under the bus by Haman (Bannon).

“Engineering schools,” Bannon said, “are all full of people from South Asia, and East Asia. . . . They’ve come in here to take these jobs.” Meanwhile, Bannon said, American students “can’t get engineering degrees; they can’t get into these graduate schools because they are all foreign students. When they come out, they can’t get a job.”

Why can’t “Americans get engineering degrees”? What is stopping them? (Asking for a friend)

Before he left office 11 days ago, President Barack Obama maintained that he didn’t want to become a figurehead for liberal opposition to Donald Trump’s presidency. “I believe in the wisdom that George Washington showed, that at a certain point, you make room for—for new voices and fresh legs,” he said.

I understand that, and 80% agree. But we’re also approaching time when we’re going to need all warriors.

Surprisingly few cathedrals toppled, because they were about 5X overbuilt. The true faith-based engineering was Florence’s Santa Maria di Fiore. They defined the footprint about 200 years before anyone had any idea of how to dome it. Fantastic book on that:

Surprisingly few cathedrals toppled, because they were about 5X overbuilt. The true faith-based engineering was Florence’s Santa Maria di Fiore. They defined the footprint about 200 years before anyone had any idea of how to dome it. Fantastic book on that:

It’s a story that has everything. Daddy bailing out failing kid. Railing against environmental protection requirements. Seeking government bailout/handouts.

Trifecta of Trump.

That’s actually the amusing story of the morning, rather than the fact that Democrats are waffling over how to address the fact that Trump is filling the seat that should have been filled by Obama but for GOP Obstructionism.

Obstructionism wins. Democrats still think there’s another way to play this, except it will only piss off an already pissed off base that has seen the elected officials cringe and hide away from confronting the GOP.

The GOP acts like a bully and gets away with it. Democrats show spine and the media demands that they accede to GOP demands to go along with the new rules (which are GOP-centric).

Meanwhile, Russia is again engaging in war against Ukraine and Bannon or Trump are silent at the White House. The White House silence is assent to Putin’s moves.

We told you this would happen if Bannon/Trump were elected, but people didn’t care.

EMAILS!

We told you that Trump would push the usual stable of conservative justices who will shift the balance of the court for a generation to come and look to erode church/state separation, reduce access to abortion/birth control, and gut civil rights protections generally. Did you listen? No, you decided that you’d take your chances.

EMAILS!

We told you that Trump would enact a Muslim ban. He did. You didn’t listen and you voted for him anyways (and now watch in horror as relatives are affected - yeah we see you in Philly).

BENGHAZI! (just seeing if you’re paying attention; of course it was EMAILS!)

We told you that Trump would not be good for Jews or Israel. You didn’t listen and voted for him anyways (and now watch as Israelis are realizing that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would launch another Intifada, eliminate US as a honest broker, and destabilize Jordan and the rest of the region).

EMAILS!

Everywhere you turn, Trump’s pushing a regressive, reactionary, and divisive policy agenda that benefits no one. It doesn’t improve national security, doesn’t improve the economy, and will enrich those who are already well off to be insulated from the fallout from his decisions.

Why can’t “Americans get engineering degrees”? What is stopping them? (Asking for a friend)

I graduated from an engineering school in 1986 with a math degree.

Because Americans are stupid as shit? I told someone recently that I took an applied calculus class in college and they looked at me like I was speaking in tongues. And that was for taking an applied calculus class. Imagine if I told them I had taken four semesters of calculus, I might have been burned at the stake.

But, hey, we apparently need an affirmative action program for stupid white people now.

Why can’t “Americans get engineering degrees”? What is stopping them? (Asking for a friend)

I graduated from an engineering school in 1986 with a math degree.

So Bannon, in addition to all his other faults, is also a moron. Foreign students keep many of these engineering programs afloat. Eliminating these students isn’t going to lead to these programs being filled with qualified US citizens. They’re going to end up with significantly fewer engineering graduates, either because the programs maintain standards and don’t have enough qualified applicants to fill the spots, or because the programs lower admission standards to fill the slots and the students mostly wash out. My program probably saw half of the students transfer to different majors during the first semester despite the fact that most of us only had one major specific course that semester. I can only assume those numbers increase drastically in an American’s only program.

This only broaches the short term implications of these type of decisions. Sure, booting out all the foreign born engineers might be a boon US citizens that have these skills, or some semblance of the skills, but long term companies are just going to move/expand elsewhere where they have access to a sufficient talent pool.

Because Americans are stupid as shit? I told someone recently that I took an applied calculus class in college and they looked at me like I was speaking in tongues. And that was for taking an applied calculus class. Imagine if I told them I had taken four semesters of calculus, I might have been burned at the stake.

But, hey, we apparently need an affirmative action program for stupid white people now.

Well, calculus to me is all Greek.

Applied calculus is applied Greek.

I wouldn’t burn you at the stake, though. I might give you that look that says “damn I feel stupid.”

Why can’t “Americans get engineering degrees”? What is stopping them? (Asking for a friend)

I graduated from an engineering school in 1986 with a math degree.

My son, an chemistry/math double major, is currently taking Abstract Algebra to go along with his chemistry.

How about this, Mr. Bannon: A big reason we don’t see as many Americans in those engineering schools is that it costs a lot of money, and your party keeps trying to exclude people who would pursue those degrees.

My son, an chemistry/math double major, is currently taking Abstract Algebra to go along with his chemistry.

How about this, Mr. Bannon: A big reason we don’t see as many Americans in those engineering schools is that it costs a lot of money, and your party keeps trying to exclude people who would pursue those degrees.

If I’d had the money, I might have attended college.

When I left the military, the VA assessed me with an exam what college pursuits I would be good with. (I do not know how they determine this with a test.)

The results were:
Physics
Chemistry
Mathematics

They then rated me “unemployable” and took my college benefits.

I would go to school today if I had the bloody money. Nope. There is no way I can even come close to tuition costs.

My best friend was in a motorcycle accident near Cecil Field NAS that kept him in the hospital nearly six months. A mile of wire in his back, &c. VA qualified him for physics, paid for eight years, even sent him to CERN for an internship and paid for it.

He is now a university professor. (He is of the opinion I got the shaft.) There is no appeal to the VA “unemployable ” decision, so I am stuck on VA disability.

That seems to describe the closing off of disability-based college assistance from VA. What about the service-based GI college benefits based simply on service, the same kind every enlistee is supposed to get?

I just want to know how those who insist “society’s all soft now” would have reacted if Obama had mocked McConnell the way Trump did Schumer. As Neil Brennan said hte other night, Trump is the ultimate snowflake.

That seems to describe the closing off of disability-based college assistance from VA. What about the service-based GI college benefits based simply on service, the same kind every enlistee is supposed to get?

At the time I reënlisted after my broken service, the Montgomery GI Bill had not come into effect, and the Vietnam Era Assistance Programme (a contribution programme) had just been repealed. There is about a year and a half period where there were no college benefits for serving in the military.

But the law requires withdrawing college benefits provided by military service if you are declared unemployable by the VA anyway. (Epilepsy is an automatic finding of unemployability, regardless whether it can be controlled by medication, surgery, or other methods, or not.)

At the time I reënlisted after my broken service, the Montgomery GI Bill had not come into effect, and the Vietnam Era Assistance Programme (a contribution programme) had just been repealed. There is about a year and a half period where there were no college benefits for serving in the military.

But the law requires withdrawing college benefits provided by military service if you are declared unemployable by the VA anyway. (Epilepsy is an automatic finding of unemployability, regardless whether it can be controlled by medication, surgery, or other methods, or not.)

You guys got fucked. I was under the WWII GI Bill—you served, you went to college. College isn’t a trade school.

You guys got fucked. I was under the WWII GI Bill—you served, you went to college. College isn’t a trade school.

And the trade school I did go to (aviation electronics school plus advanced first term avionics) is useless to me because no one will hire an electronics technician with epilepsy - and FAA regulations prohibit me working in aviation at all - despite holding an FCC Radiotelephone First Class licence with ship’s radar endorsement since age twenty-four.

But VA benefits can be applied to a trade school as well: They can be used for anything (cosmetology, carpentry, pipe fitting, you name it). I get none of it.

I’m glad you got the WW2 GI Bill. When my father was killed in the Vietnam War, its benefits accrued to my mother, who obtained a degree in clinical psychology.

Yes, or machining or photography. And it would send you to Paris to study Existentialism, if that’s how you wanted to spend the allotment.

Yeah thought so. Anyhow, I owe it to the GI Bill to why I’m where I am. Grandpa would have likely be stuck in the mines like his father and father in law or the steel mills, neither of which he liked had he not taken that opportunity.

You may be implying this, but thought Bouie’s point was that we can’t just go around saying “white supremacist.” People who say it need to understand exactly what it means and act against it, not just use it as an insult.

I agree with Bouie. People need to understand exactly what’s going on here. Whitewashing the term and inserting a different one because you’re concerned white supremacist or white nationalist is a pejorative is just wrong.

White supremacist is a pejorative - and with good reason. It’s an ideology whose intent and purpose will harm millions of people, and wont stop with whites (they’ll start going after the shades - Jews, non Christians, Muslims).

Bannon’s made no secret of his intentions, and Trump’s going along with it. There’s no one challenging Bannon, who now appears to be running the joint.

I recall that when the USSR fell apart, it left Ukraine with the fifth-largest nuclear arsenal in the world. They agreed to disarm against promises from the West to guarantee their territorial integrity.

Now that we have reneged, is it not only fair that we give them their nukes back so they can defend themselves?

They said you were unemployable due to disability for Physics?!?!. Have they heard of Stephen Hawking?

Apparently not. My shipmate from the Navy uses a cane (and sometimes a walker). The issue is epilepsy: It is automatically determined to be debilitating for all work.

I had a friend once who was manager of Independence Mall in Missouri. She had uncontrolled myoclonic seizures (sudden shutdown of the nervous system, everything goes limp and you instantly fall, followed by quick recovery). The mall had no problem with that.

Exact the filibuster on Gorsuch, let Turtle Boy nuke THAT rule, and just go home for the rest of the entire term. Refuse to show up.

Republicans then declare the Democratic seats open (the same way we can on my village board if a seat is abandoned), and that’s that. One party rule.

Ban the Democratic Party and that’s it. The Democrats need to be in Congress and in those committees, even if they will lose most fights. They need to get on record, on television, and in the Congressional Record what our position is. We need to show we are fighting for the people.

Showing up at protests against egregious politics, such as the Muslim ban (Rep. Lewis, Sen. Warren, et al.) shows who the brave members of Congress are (Democrats) and who the craven ones who run from their constituents are (Republicans).

Declaring publicly CNN is “fake news” is only a short step from a law or order banning “fake news” for the public good. (Perhaps something along the lines of the Fairness Doctrine before President Reagan nuked it, but worded in such a way that “fake news” outlets like CNN or NBC are banned.)

The press better get on this or they are going to find themselves banned. That wouldn’t be good for CBS, despite what its CEO thinks.

So, Lizards, here’s a thought; who would you figure will be the first European country to offer Americans political asylum?

It may sound outlandish, but Trump seems to be going full-tilt authoritarian. If his administration starts committing serious human rights abuses, I could see the possibility of an EU country saying they’d willing to grant US citizens asylum from they would refer to as “a tyrannical regime”.

So, Lizards, here’s a thought; who would you figure will be the first European country to offer Americans political asylum?

It may sound outlandish, but Trump seems to be going full-tilt authoritarian. If his administration starts committing serious human rights abuses, I could see the possibility of an EU country saying they’d willing to grant US citizens asylum from they would refer to as “a tyrannical regime”.

So, Lizards, here’s a thought; who would you figure will be the first European country to offer Americans political asylum?

It may sound outlandish, but Trump seems to be going full-tilt authoritarian. If his administration starts committing serious human rights abuses, I could see the possibility of an EU country saying they’d willing to grant US citizens asylum from they would refer to as “a tyrannical regime”.

So, Lizards, here’s a thought; who would you figure will be the first European country to offer Americans political asylum?

It may sound outlandish, but Trump seems to be going full-tilt authoritarian. If his administration starts committing serious human rights abuses, I could see the possibility of an EU country saying they’d willing to grant US citizens asylum from they would refer to as “a tyrannical regime”.

I’d say Sweden.

I have an offer from a Swiss physician and her retired physician husband to sponsor my wife and me into Switzerland already (if the government doesn’t go full wingnut and deport me to Poland first).

That said, I am wondering if the first two countries to offer asylum might be Canada and Mexico.

American’s, in general, do not speak other languages and will have a harder time in non-English speaking countries. Unless they have background (family, etc., from those countries), I don’t know how many American’s will go overseas.

American’s, in general, do not speak other languages and will have a harder time in non-English speaking countries. Unless they have background (family, etc., from those countries), I don’t know how many American’s will go overseas.

I also speak Spanish thanks to being posted to Spain, and Portuguese due to my exchange student year in Brazil. (I’ll take Portugal for a thousand dollars, Alex.) I’ve also been to Portugal several times by car from Rota. I can find it on a map; it’s somewhere east of me. /s

I will shake my head if Mexico, backed by the EU and other countries, is the first to openly declare war against the United States. Thus setting up the domino effect as other countries declare war against either Russia or the United States.

With the way nationalist alliances were set up in the early 1910s, it allowed a regional war declared after Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination to immediately cascade into World War I.

I will shake my head if Mexico, backed by the EU and other countries, is the first to openly declare war against the United States. Thus setting up the domino effect as other countries declare war against either Russia or the United States.

With the way nationalist alliances were set up in the early 1910s, it allowed a regional war declared after Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination to immediately cascade into World War I.

They’re not going to declare war unless we attack. Don’t go too far off the deep end.

I will shake my head if Mexico, backed by the EU and other countries, is the first to openly declare war against the United States. Thus setting up the domino effect as other countries declare war against either Russia or the United States.

With the way nationalist alliances were set up in the early 1910s, it allowed a regional war declared after Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination to immediately cascade into World War I.

With two nuclear “superpowers”? I don’t see that happening unless we really are looking at global annihilation.

If I had the choice of going to two EU countries, I’d choose Ireland- roots there, no need to learn the language, and I love the people and culture or Portugal- great climate, fell in love with the people there, and although I don’t speak Portuguese, a lot of Portuguese people do speak English. I don’t think teaching English would be my thing. Who knows, maybe bartend by night and write by day. Yep, I’m a romantic so sue me.

DETROIT (WJBK) - Questions have been raised about the validity of Mike Hager’s claims that his mother died while waiting for approval to come to Michigan. FOX 2 news is working to resolve the questions about Hager’s story. We’ll update this page with further details.

I will shake my head if Mexico, backed by the EU and other countries, is the first to openly declare war against the United States. Thus setting up the domino effect as other countries declare war against either Russia or the United States.

With the way nationalist alliances were set up in the early 1910s, it allowed a regional war declared after Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination to immediately cascade into World War I.

I’m guessing exactly zero countries would go to war against Russia or the USA. Between us we hold eighty percent of the world’s nuclear weaponry.

More than 23 years ago, Robert Jones was convicted of robbing, kidnapping and raping a woman in 1992 in Orleans Parish and then soon after pleaded guilty to a pair of other crimes, one of which included killing a tourist in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 1996. Yesterday, on his 44th birthday, Jones was exonerated of those crimes. The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office announced that it would not retry him for the 1992 crimes and vacated the other charges to which he’d falsely pleaded guilty.

I get what you are saying and your fears but I just do not see that happening. The other countries are going to hit us economically, not physically.

Which would give them cause to attack a neighboring country, then the domino effect.

I may have misstated the original post. A country like Mexico will not attack a nuclear superpower unless provoked. And the United States — now firmly under the control of Dominionists — and Russia have the capability of provoking an attack.

Which would give them cause to attack a neighboring country, then the domino effect.

I may have misstated the original post. A country like Mexico will not attack a nuclear superpower unless provoked. And the United States — now firmly under the control of Dominionists — and Russia have the capability of provoking an attack.

While anything is possible, I don’t see that happening. Don’t worry about things like that. If we start to wonder What If, we’re going to drive ourselves to early graves.

Yeah, everything Trump sucks. But I don’t think we’re anywhere near there yet.

Which would give them cause to attack a neighboring country, then the domino effect.

I may have misstated the original post. A country like Mexico will not attack a nuclear superpower unless provoked. And the United States — now firmly under the control of Dominionists — and Russia have the capability of provoking an attack.

I don’t see any particular benefit to Russia to perpetrate an attack by Mexico on the United States as a pretext for war.

On the other hand, I feel like I am getting into tin-foil hat territory thinking that the administration might create a false flag attack (much like Germany did with Poland in WW2) as a pretext for an invasion of Mexico. (Mr. Trump thinks it is okay to conquer a nation to take their oil, as he said about Iraq.)

Even with a brazen illegal invasion of our neighbour, no one would come to Mexico’s defence: most nations do not have the ability to project military power beyond their land borders. It would be suicide for a nation to defend Mexico against the USA: most nations would be crushed if the goal was simply punishment and not occupation. (For example, the United Kingdom, which does have the ability to project power, declares the move illegal and joins Mexico to resist. The USA launches two hundred or more cruise missiles on the UK. War over for the UK.)

That is also why California seceding is folly: It could be crushed by two or three US Navy ships, never mind an entire aircraft carrier task force.

Apparently not. My shipmate from the Navy uses a cane (and sometimes a walker). The issue is epilepsy: It is automatically determined to be debilitating for all work.

I had a friend once who was manager of Independence Mall in Missouri. She had uncontrolled myoclonic seizures (sudden shutdown of the nervous system, everything goes limp and you instantly fall, followed by quick recovery). The mall had no problem with that.

From what frickin’ century are they obtaining their medical information?

From what frickin’ century are they obtaining their medical information?

I have no idea - apparently they are using the Medical Diagnostic Manual of Demon Possession, Pentecostal Edition. (I have been told by religious wingnuts that I am demon-possessed even in the XXI Century.)

Eugenics has never been explicitly prohibited by the Supreme Court either. That’s why states that practised it in the XX Century fought until the very end of the century to avoid compensation to epileptics declared “feebleminded” by the state, forcibly sterilised, and placed in institutions.

I see the station finally got around to putting up a story after tweeting that out yesterday. They were getting pilloried on Twitter about it by viewers, that the only place it could be found was on the station’s Twitter feed.

I am pretty shocked to see that many people did just that. So now, they are in debt and the pound, once Article 50 is triggered, is going to tank, making them pay more for that debt. Plus, untold people are not going to have jobs if they don’t maintain the single market.

I am not always the best money manager but spending like that over the last few months is completely insane.

I am pretty shocked to see that many people did just that. So now, they are in debt and the pound, once Article 50 is triggered, is going to tank, making them pay more for that debt. Plus, untold people are not going to have jobs if they don’t maintain the single market.

I am not always the best money manager but spending like that over the last few months is completely insane.

Britain has a higher consumer debt rate than America, and one of the world’s highest. Lots of people use their credit cards to buy groceries.

When he messes with Medicare and SS he is messing with older Republican voters.

Watch how they’ll frame it. They’re saving the program and the cuts would have been lower had Democrats allowed the changes earlier. Just watch.

And they’ll go ahead and buy it as the benefits of Medicare/Medicaid/SS, which they pay taxes specifically dedicated to, are gutted.

They bought into the BS about Obamacare, including those miners who thought Trump would help them, and Obamacare provides specific black lung coverage. Repeal Obamacare and that coverage goes out the window.

The GOP refuses to address fact that their policies all work towards making people destitute and do nothing to improve their quality of life. In fact, the GOP plan is all about burden shifting - from the rich on to everyone else, and the people voting for the GOP think that they’re the ones benefiting. No one ever said logic and reasoning was part of the political process. They just keep voting Republican, no matter how much they get screwed.

The plan will be to phase them out. Current recipients keep their benefits, everyone else loses theirs.

I got mine, FU

I think they count on that to much, older Republicans have family members not to the age yet but getting close. They might screw people they don’t know but will think twice about screwing family members.

I dunno — that guinea pig looks kind of worried. What did Woody Allen say: “The lion shall lay down with the lamb — but the lamb won’t get much sleep.”

When I lived in Oklahoma I had two guinea pigs and a cat. The guinea pigs would cuddle up with the cat.

When I lived in Missouri, I had an open wading pool full of guinea pigs. The three cats in the house would jump in, corral the guinea pigs, and use them to keep warm while they slept in the guinea pig pen.

Watch how they’ll frame it. They’re saving the program and the cuts would have been lower had Democrats allowed the changes earlier. Just watch.

And they’ll go ahead and buy it as the benefits of Medicare/Medicaid/SS, which they pay taxes specifically dedicated to, are gutted.

They bought into the BS about Obamacare, including those miners who thought Trump would help them, and Obamacare provides specific black lung coverage. Repeal Obamacare and that coverage goes out the window.

The GOP refuses to address fact that their policies all work towards making people destitute and do nothing to improve their quality of life. In fact, the GOP plan is all about burden shifting - from the rich on to everyone else, and the people voting for the GOP think that they’re the ones benefiting. No one ever said logic and reasoning was part of the political process. They just keep voting Republican, no matter how much they get screwed.

I wouldn’t burn you at the stake, though. I might give you that look that says “damn I feel stupid.”

Oddly enough, it is.

When I was in Greece, and all the street signs and store names were (naturally) in Greek — whereas my American guide book was in English…

I could phonetically read the street names because I’d taken enough calculus to recognize the letters and know what sounds they must represent. (the non-mathy people from my youth hostel could also recognize letters because they were frat boys).

Guess they’re comparing notes on what it will be like to see their nominations sit, though the GOP will make sure it gets rammed through regardless of what Democrats do.

I wish someone would ask Mr. Gorsuch, if he thinks, should he be confirmed, history might judge his entire career on the bench, by what was done to Merrick Garland in order to facilitate his ascension.

Those credit card processing sales people are getting persistent. I told him, in no uncertain terms, why I was so pissed at his industry that I am surprised my number does not appear on a flashing red ‘Do Not Call’ list in the office of every processor in the country, and he starts in on the ‘Oh, we’re not the processor, we’re the ones behind the processor…’ and I said, ‘They all say that. I am hanging up on you now.’ And he calls back. I answer with, ‘Didn’t they teach you anything?’ The number is now blocked. I will be closed tomorrow, when he plans to prowl up and down my street.

I saw this story and felt a major rant coming on. Instead took a deep breath and Paged. Best way to mess with Trump is hold him accountable for the screwups and tragedies he causes, minute to minute. littlegreenfootballs.com

I suffer from depression and generalized anxiety and am on medication for both. It has really helped even me out. I am not sitting idly by, watching this evil happening. I’m marching when there are protests. I am calling congresscritters every single day. I’m telling my daughters every day what exactly I did to stop this craziness and they are really glad I’m doing something and showing outrage when outrage is needed, so I have that to be proud of, that my daughters are actually caring individuals and get upset about injustice and they are only 10 and 12. So, basically, I can sit and be anxious and depressed, or I can do something. I’ve found that doing something works wonders with my state of mind and I’m not depressed, I’m righteously angry. Don’t know if this helps you put a different perspective on how you feel. I hope it does.

There’s a person I know who I think reflects far too many “moderate” voters - he hated what the GOP did, but places more blame on the Dems for not standing up to them when it mattered. His most recent exact words on this subject were “Why didn’t Obama fight harder for Merrick Garland?”

I must confess I kind of feel the same way :/ He was far too nice and deferential to people who turned out to be monsters.

Those credit card processing sales people are getting persistent. I told him, in no uncertain terms, why I was so pissed at his industry that I am surprised my number does not appear on a flashing red ‘Do Not Call’ list in the office of every processor in the country, and he starts in on the ‘Oh, we’re not the processor, we’re the ones behind the processor…’ and I said, ‘They all say that. I am hanging up on you now.’ And he calls back. I answer with, ‘Didn’t they teach you anything?’ The number is now blocked. I will be closed tomorrow, when he plans to prowl up and down my street.

I saw this story and felt a major rant coming on. Instead took a deep breath and Paged. Best way to mess with Trump is hold him accountable for the screwups and tragedies he causes, minute to minute. littlegreenfootballs.com

Unless he started shooting Republicans, what exactly was he going to do. The majority of the public said to confirm Garland, but it didn’t matter to McConnell. The majority of the public isn’t voting, though.

Republicans aren’t afraid of voters, they’re afraid of Republican voters, because they vote.

Snopes just verified it. Gorsuch quoted Kissinger in that yearbook. With one caveat:

Although images are real, determining Gorsuch’s intention in offering this quote back then is a matter of speculation. It should be noted that Gorsuch founded a school newspaper called The Fed at Columbia University, which frequently published satirical content.

One thing having been homeless for so long is no one ever calls to try that with me.
]

They want me to accept credit and debit cards as payment in my store. If I could do debit cards only, I would, but nobody offers that because they can’t make as much money on those. When I was closed for six months, I was charged for processing no payments. They would not refund it when I told them why I was closed. They said, ‘You should have told us at the time.’ The coma was not an acceptable excuse.

When will it be okay to freak the hell out? Asking for a friend. I understand trying to maintain a positive outlook, but what the hell else do we need to happen before liberals stop treating the GOP and relations like rational actors? The most powerful advisor to the alleged leader of the free world wants to burn it all down, we’ve started banning muslims and cracking down dissent in government agencies which are headed by people that want to destroy said agencies. A *lizard* said we could live with Sessions fucking up civil rights for a couple of generations.

Have you guys understood that it is possible that we were just wrong? I admitted I was wrong in my faith in the basic reasoning skills of Americans, but this place has mocked and ridiculed: Trump, Nazis, the Bundys (and militia movements), the GOP, Rage Furby, Deadbart, Dim Jim, and a host of other things *that now control the machinery that underpins the fucking world*.

How about less mocking and trying to get under their skin, and more punching Nazis in the face and engagement with your shitty white neighbors and coworkers? Crumple their worldview, and if that doesn’t work, punch them some more.

Those credit card processing sales people are getting persistent. I told him, in no uncertain terms, why I was so pissed at his industry that I am surprised my number does not appear on a flashing red ‘Do Not Call’ list in the office of every processor in the country, and he starts in on the ‘Oh, we’re not the processor, we’re the ones behind the processor…’ and I said, ‘They all say that. I am hanging up on you now.’ And he calls back. I answer with, ‘Didn’t they teach you anything?’ The number is now blocked. I will be closed tomorrow, when he plans to prowl up and down my street.

Do what I do…say “Oh, you want to sell me something! Thank god, I thought you were another bill collector!”

Ok, I didn’t come up with that but I have used it.

Just like when someone from “Microsoft” calls me, I waste as much of their time as I can. “Who are you? Oh, ok. What do you want me to do? Oh, ok. How do you do that again? Oh, ok. I got it wrong, what am I supposed to type in there? Oh, ok.”

My favorite was when the guy told me to bring up the Run box and type in something like Win32. I asked What? (blink, blink) He says blank it and put in Win32. So I told him Ok (blink, blink) and then told him it didn’t work. He asked what I typed in and I told him (blink, blink) “blankitwin32”. We did that five times…then he said EMPTY it, so then I went to (blink, blink) “emptyitwin32” at which point he finally caught on. He laughed before I hung up on him.

They want me to accept credit and debit cards as payment in my store. If I could do debit cards only, I would, but nobody offers that because they can’t make as much money on those. When I was closed for six months, I was charged for processing no payments. They would not refund it when I told them why I was closed. They said, ‘You should have told us at the time.’ The coma was not an acceptable excuse.

Coma? Well, apparently you needed to borrow Obama’s Magic Ni-CLANG Time Machine to go back before that happened so you could call them and schedule a good time for a coma.

Credit Card company? Would Friday after next be okay with you? What time is good for you?

They want me to accept credit and debit cards as payment in my store. If I could do debit cards only, I would, but nobody offers that because they can’t make as much money on those. When I was closed for six months, I was charged for processing no payments. They would not refund it when I told them why I was closed. They said, ‘You should have told us at the time.’ The coma was not an acceptable excuse.

I did not get what you were referring to. My comment above was obviously for end users.

I am so sorry for what you had to and are dealing with. I would give them a big Fuck You, too.

When will it be okay to freak the hell out? Asking for a friend. I understand trying to maintain a positive outlook, but what the hell else do we need to happen before liberals stop treating the GOP and relations like rational actors? The most powerful advisor to the alleged leader of the free world wants to burn it all down, we’ve started banning muslims and cracking down dissent in government agencies which are headed by people that want to destroy said agencies. A *lizard* said we could live with Sessions fucking up civil rights for a couple of generations.

Have you guys understood that it is possible that we were just wrong? I admitted I was wrong in my faith in the basic reasoning skills of Americans, but this place has mocked and ridiculed: Trump, Nazis, the Bundys (and militia movements), the GOP, Rage Furby, Deadbart, Dim Jim, and a host of other things *that now control the machinery that underpins the fucking world*.

How about less mocking and trying to get under their skin, and more punching Nazis in the face and engagement with your shitty white neighbors and coworkers? Crumple their worldview, and if that doesn’t work, punch them some more.

The SPLC says there are Nazis in my town, but I still think punching is the wrong idea. I DO think it might be time to freak the hell out, but I am not yet convinced that the solution is not in the Constitution. But punching is not. It would be easy in this town, to pick the wrong person to hit. Plus I’m pretty sure that if I knew the right one, he would be bigger than me, and not traveling alone.

Do what I do…say “Oh, you want to sell me something! Thank god, I thought you were another bill collector!”

Ok, I didn’t come up with that but I have used it.

I have a canned air horn next to my telephone for running off turkey vultures when they try to roost in my elm tree. I don’t know how many people I’ve permanently deafened with it on the phone … can’t be more than a dozen. /s

How about less mocking and trying to get under their skin, and more punching Nazis in the face and engagement with your shitty white neighbors and coworkers? Crumple their worldview, and if that doesn’t work, punch them some more.

I briefly got into it with some rando on FB yesterday who was saying the same thing -

‘A coup is impossible in the US due to the Second Amendment! the citizenry has more firepower than the government!’

I asked him where he kept his APCs, tanks and helicopter gunships, and he came back with a breakdown of how many citizens are deer hunters. I wished him well on his first and last engagement with a military tasked with putting down an insurrection.

There’s a person I know who I think reflects far too many “moderate” voters - he hated what the GOP did, but places more blame on the Dems for not standing up to them when it mattered. His most recent exact words on this subject were “Why didn’t Obama fight harder for Merrick Garland?”

I must confess I kind of feel the same way :/ He was far too nice and deferential to people who turned out to be monsters.

Maybe because Obama couldn’t count on the “moderate” voters to hold the GOP responsible?

Republicans love to use the fact their party was once sane and the Democrats were once bigoted dicks as a way of trying to shut people up. Honestly, it’s irrelevant. The Republican Party has honestly been on a downard slope ever since Abe died with the exceptions of TR and Eisenhower’s presidency.

Republicans love to use the fact their party was once sane and the Democrats were once bigoted dicks as a way of trying to shut people up. Honestly, it’s irrelevant. The Republican Party has honestly been on a downard slope ever since Abe died with the exceptions of TR and Eisenhower’s presidency.

If you accept their “KKK Democrats just wanna keep blacks on the plantation” argument , then you can co-opt any sort of black leader.

Yeah, these guys have no clue. If the government wants to go and deprive you of your life, there’s not much you can do. You might get off a few shots, but be sure that superior firepower belongs in the hands of the government.

I’d love a Dem senator to introduce legislation that says tax payers won’t foot the bill for this bullshit.

Really. It’s such a pain in the ass to New Yorkers. Washington D.C is specifically equipped with security for the very purpose of protecting the First Family. I understand Melania is probably concerned for her son but you know what, maybe her dipshit husband shouldn’t have ran for the Presidency. I don’t like cold weather hence why I’ve never seriously applied for any jobs too North.

There’s a person I know who I think reflects far too many “moderate” voters - he hated what the GOP did, but places more blame on the Dems for not standing up to them when it mattered. His most recent exact words on this subject were “Why didn’t Obama fight harder for Merrick Garland?”

I must confess I kind of feel the same way :/ He was far too nice and deferential to people who turned out to be monsters.

Where were all the protesters over the Garland nomination? Maybe if they had shown up then, pressure would have been too much for GOP. I think, we the people, share some of the blame. We let them get away with it.

The SPLC says there are Nazis in my town, but I still think punching is the wrong idea. I DO think it might be time to freak the hell out, but I am not yet convinced that the solution is not in the Constitution. But punching is not. It would be easy in this town, to pick the wrong person to hit. Plus I’m pretty sure that if I knew the right one, he would be bigger than me, and not traveling alone.

I don’t have Nazis but I do have the Christian Identity church up the road.

Both groups explicitly call for genocide. Both groups include me in their groups. The CI people know where I live (due to my articles in the paper as the magic token liberal).

As far as I am concerned, genocide is a valid reason to punch a Nazi, provided I can get the drop on him.

Yeah, these guys have no clue. If the government wants to go and deprive you of your life, there’s not much you can do. You might get off a few shots, but be sure that superior firepower belongs in the hands of the government.

Tanks.

You’re welcome.

Like I’ve said before; the US military can launch a Hellfire missile from a Predator and take out any would-be Johnny Reb fantasist as he’s reading the latest issue of American Rifleman while dropping a deuce.

Where were all the protesters over the Garland nomination? Maybe if they had shown up then, pressure wold have been too much for GOP. I think, we the people, share some of the blame. We let them get away with it.

Yes, because people just didn’t know (or get, or care) what was at stake -_-

How do we fix that?

There’s a large-enough contingent of so-called “swing” voters who treat politics as entertainment and, instead of getting mad at the bullies, ridicule and lose respect for the victims who appear to just “sit there and take it.” It’s kind of like how John Kerry got screwed by the swiftboaters, not so much because these voters believed the lies, but because they saw Kerry as weak for not responding.

There’s a simple rule: You say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and then again and again and again and again, and about the time that you’re absolutely sick of saying it is about the time that your target audience has heard it for the first time.

Freaking out is rarely a successful strategy. You need to have a strategy to push back against the swill. The USA has a long ugly history of racism (and Nazis). As they say in the Shire: Fight smarter, not harder.

How about less mocking and trying to get under their skin, and more punching Nazis in the face and engagement with your shitty white neighbors and coworkers? Crumple their worldview, and if that doesn’t work, punch them some more.

Mocking is fine for the Internet, and especially for Mr. Trump’s Twitter feed (calling him President Bannon, for example). Mockery is one method throughout history used to punch up at contradictions and lies of those in power.

I live in a whole town of Trump supporters, almost half college-educated. Eight whole people here voted for Hillary Clinton (yet voted to make me vice-mayor). My neighbours are not shitty, they are uninformed or misinformed. As such, I work to educate them. It is a slow process, because it is difficult to get past many years of propaganda, but it can be successful.

I don’t need to “crumple their worldview.” I would rather they take in information, and see that their worldview is lacking. If I can do that, provide the right nugget of information they cannot explain away, they will change their worldview themselves.

A couple years ago, the Scott’s Bluff Democratic Party decided to help out with the local LGBT community to organise the first ever Pride event in the Panhandle. They decided on a picnic open to all, since Scottsbluff is only a town of 14,000.

I was the only local politician to dare show my face at the event. However, the event was YUGE, drawing in people from all over Western Nebraska and SE Wyoming. Got my picture in the paper and everything. /humblebrag

Even with all my evil satanic liberal activism here, the town still reëlected me and elevated my position.

The timing of the ad is what makes it groan-worthy. After weeks of protests and the bungling of the rollout of the temporary hold on immigration from seven countries, most of us just want to set aside politics and watch a game. But thanks for the socio-political commentary. Now if Lady Gaga can refrain from grandstanding about politics during the halftime show, maybe we can start feel normal again.

I chuckled when I saw that, but my second thought was “you know, I may be misremembering international law, but this would probably constitute an act of war, in a very old school sense of the meaning.”

Okay, the last one makes a lot of sense and is all kinds of creepy when you consider the implications… o_O

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That’s too bad about the Catholic priest. For all my faults with the RCC, I still retain a soft spot given my family’s background and my great uncle who was a RCC priest. Don’t know his politics but his baby sister, my Nana was a huge Dem and definitely shaped my ideology.

Where were all the protesters over the Garland nomination? Maybe if they had shown up then, pressure wold have been too much for GOP. I think, we the people, share some of the blame. We let them get away with it.

At the same time, we take some of our direction from our elected officials, so I completely get the other viewpoint. We are seeing this level of discontent due to Comey, Russia, losing the election but winning the popular vote by a large number and still getting shafted by republicans. As soon as that ban went into effect, people realized that all the bullshit trump promised he was going to do which is the kick in the ass we needed.

Our elected officials - democrats - played nice with Bush and then rolled over for repubs throughout Obama’s presidency. Yes, democracy requires compromise but not solely from one side, which is what was happening.

At some point people stand up. Be it this ban or SocSec, Medicare, Medicaid, or what have you. I will say this; I do not see these protests stopping any time soon.

The point will come, however, when these protests become deadly, because you have the likes of Rudy and that schmuck Clarke from WI dying to bash some liberal heads. And then…either more people come out or they don’t. We will then see if we are, indeed, the land of the brave because it is going to take some balls to go out and protest when the cops (the likely inside the US military) kill us. Me? If the economy tanks, they kill Social Security, etc., I might as well go out in a blaze because sitting on the sidelines starving to death is not going to be my personal option.

Yeah, these guys have no clue. If the government wants to go and deprive you of your life, there’s not much you can do. You might get off a few shots, but be sure that superior firepower belongs in the hands of the government.

I can’t wait for the Republican boycott of Budweiser… not that it’d make me start drinking that swill as anything other than a last resort, but just because they still can’t seem to recognize that, for most of them, their grandparents or great-grandparents were on the receiving side of what they’re doing now.

I can’t wait for the Republican boycott of Budweiser… not that it’d make me start drinking that swill as anything other than a last resort, but just because they still can’t seem to recognize that, for most of them, their grandparents or great-grandparents were on the receiving side of what they’re doing now.

That’s exactly why I’m sympathetic. I know that my great grandparents and others were on the receiving in of nativist abuse.

Basically, you have two options, and they both involve you dying immediately in a nuclear holocaust.

Either stay and perish as the US brazenly wages a world war for global domination (moreso because of widespread fallout and retaliatory attacks by the wounded nations) or openly secede, stand your ground, and perish that way, albeit quick and rather painlessly.

Hobson’s Choice in undistilled form.

It’s also what the Evangelicals have to be dreaming about, because they get to see their iteration of Jesus.

If you take time to write something like that (well done, btw), pimp the shit out of it! Because some folks don’t normally read Pages. I am pretty religious about reading them at least every other day (and I catch up on all the ones since the last time I read them) but when you make that effort, show it off!

Also helps if you put some kind of picture up there. It makes tweeting it more attractive.

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Yeah good thinking. I like to think I was fair. I do think that Professor McGinnis is wrong to suggest that the left is only doing it because of electoral defeat though. I just don’t like the thought that money = speech because it allows us to create what Professor Smithhas described where less than 200 households who are overwhelmingly headed by white males contribute well over half the political donations in a nation of a 120 million households.

If you take time to write something like that (well done, btw), pimp the shit out of it! Because some folks don’t normally read Pages. I am pretty religious about reading them at least every other day (and I catch up on all the ones since the last time I read them) but when you make that effort, show it off!

I may post more in the months to come. I’ve been finding my voice again. I’m posting my opinion more on FB too.

Yeah good thinking. I like to think I was fair. I do think that Professor McGinnis is wrong to suggest that the left is only doing it because of electoral defeat though. I just don’t like the thought that money = speech because it allows us to create what Professor Smithhas described where less than 200 households who are overwhelmingly headed by white males contribute well over half the political donations in a nation of a 120 million households.

I don’t see combover being at all strategic about California seceding. I see him launching a tactical nuke right in the middle of the state. I absolutely believe he is unstable enough to do it.

I genuinely hope California and other states aren’t foolish enough to try seceding. But when combover starts the huge deportations and his people go in to crush the pot economy, who knows?

Putin would want it. Hell he’s bankrolling one of the secessionist groups (the other isn’t AFAIK). A nuclear strike would cause the whole country to implode from within, and Putin can assert himself as THE world power.

What better way to kill the United States outright than through such a method?

I don’t see any politics in that ad. I see the story of the company founder.

They see that as politics. I’m jealous of the Busches though. I definitely don’t know enough about my famliy’s story to make an ad about it. It’s a great story, it’s a great American story at that I just use my imagination though.

Basically, you have two options, and they both involve you dying immediately in a nuclear holocaust.

Either stay and perish as the US brazenly wages a world war for global domination (moreso because of widespread fallout and retaliatory attacks by the wounded nations) or openly secede, stand your ground, and perish that way, albeit quick and rather painlessly.

Hobson’s Choice in undistilled form.

It’s also what the Evangelicals have to be dreaming about, because they get to see their iteration of Jesus.

The majority of cruise missiles on Navy vessels are conventional. (When I was stationed aboard USS San Jacinto, a cruiser, I would set up my hammered dulcimer on top of a cruise missile hatch at the bow and play while at sea.

There wouldn’t be a nuclear holocaust in an attack on California. Conventional weapons would do quite nicely to destroy that fifth largest economy in the world.

Combat Control: Are you over your targets in the Silicone Valley yet?
Carrier Air Wing Commander: Lead aircraft now over targets.
Operations: Radar shows no sign of the California Air Force.
Combat: Bridge, Air Wing reports it is in position to release weapons.
Bridge: Commence attack.

I can’t wait for the Republican boycott of Budweiser… not that it’d make me start drinking that swill as anything other than a last resort, but just because they still can’t seem to recognize that, for most of them, their grandparents or great-grandparents were on the receiving side of what they’re doing now.

I don’t see combover being at all strategic about California seceding. I see him launching a tactical nuke right in the middle of the state. I absolutely believe he is unstable enough to do it.

I genuinely hope California and other states aren’t foolish enough to try seceding. But when combover starts the huge deportations and his people go in to crush the pot economy, who knows?

I can only see two ways of secession happening:

The first, which is highly unlikely and possibly unconstitutional, would be Congress granting a state the right to leave. I believe there’s Supreme Court precedent that says there’s no inherent right to leave the Union.

The second would be after a constitutional convention was called and a state had to ratify a new constitution. I could see a scenario in which there’s enough agreement that the current system doesn’t work and we need to replace it, where some states decide to make the choices in ratification votes something like: stay in the old system; join the new system; go our own way. I don’t think a constitutional convention is going to happen - there has never really been a credible threat of one being called, and if it did start to arise, the Congressional GOP would impeach Trump as fast as possible to shut down the talk.

I don’t think a constitutional convention is going to happen - there has never really been a credible threat of one being called, and if it did start to arise, the Congressional GOP would impeach Trump as fast as possible to shut down the talk.

Congressional Republicans want to hold onto power. A constitutional convention and a new system that could drastically alter and/or limit their power would be one of those instances where self-preservation would lead them to making the right decision (even if for the wrong reasons).

Bannon and Trump are so unstable that lobbing tactical nukes at San Francisco and Los Angeles to punish them is very plausible.

It’s like with PLL gone, someone else felt the need to step up to the ledge of hyperbole.

I have to say, as a CA resident, I’ve heard very little about Calexit in my portion of the state. And it’s not like I live in the middle of nowhere, either. Sure, it’s going to be on the ballot. With EVERYTHING ELSE that ends up on the fucking ballot. Do you know how easy it is to get crap on the ballot? There were 18 ballot measures in November. For this reason, no gets a built in advantage.

I’m not going to be freaking out about this and since I’m someone who would be in the fallout zone, I strongly recommend you don’t either.

He’s basically writing the briefs for the ACLU (and states) 140 characters at a time. I feel sorry for the attorneys in the DOJ that have to try and defend this stuff because he’s out there saying stupid shit that makes their jobs so much harder.

He’s basically writing the briefs for the ACLU (and states) 140 characters at a time. I feel sorry for the attorneys in the DOJ that have to try and defend this stuff because he’s out there saying stupid shit that makes their jobs so much harder.

You know how people sent the Bundy bunch dildos? I think people need to flood 1600 Penn with pacifiers to calm that crying baby.

He’s basically writing the briefs for the ACLU (and states) 140 characters at a time. I feel sorry for the attorneys in the DOJ that have to try and defend this stuff because he’s out there saying stupid shit that makes their jobs so much harder.

DOJ lawyer: (Hands the judge a list of Trump tweets) I would like to submit to the court this list of comments by the president. If you allow it, your honor, I would like to read them allowed. (Reads them) Now I would like to present my defense: (sits down).

There have been 51 Super Bowls. Busch runs this ad now. You’ll have to agree that it’s one hell of a coincidence.

It’s like the Fox statement on the ban. It’s a completely anodyne “we love immigrants” statement, but the fact that they felt a need to say it right now is not something you can get around.

Remember the butthurt over the Cheerios advert that had a mixed-race family in it, and it wasn’t connected to any particular event at all?

They will be butthurt because they must be the victims. Being the victim gives them the cover for complaining they are the ones being discriminated against by liberals, having agendas crammed down their throats like bad gay porn, &c. (They also have projection problems on that last item.)

Budweiser putting up the advert doesn’t matter. All the Freeze Peach and free-market geniuses that make up the base sure are against both when a company makes a free-market decision different than their ideas.

FOX News Channel blew up over Starbucks extending college benefits to certain workers, calling it socialism. (Funny, I thought Starbucks did it to attract loyal employees and for positive PR, but what do I know as a socialist? I need FOX to tell me a calculated corporate plan to increase business is socialism?)

Those open to ideas can still be shown they are wrong (gently): A company extending benefits or a company holding up a standard they support all communities is good for profits. Those that can be reached will eventually get it.

Insult their intelligence because they have come to the wrong conclusion, and you will lose them. Ignore the butthurt wingnuts over the adverts and concentrate on those that can still think for themselves.

It’s like with PLL gone, someone else felt the need to step up to the ledge of hyperbole.

I have to say, as a CA resident, I’ve heard very little about Calexit in my portion of the state. And it’s not like I live in the middle of nowhere, either. Sure, it’s going to be on the ballot. With EVERYTHING ELSE that ends up on the fucking ballot. Do you know how easy it is to get crap on the ballot? There were 18 ballot measures in November. For this reason, no gets a built in advantage.

I’m not going to be freaking out about this and since I’m someone who would be in the fallout zone, I strongly recommend you don’t either.

Well, I don’t think anyone would lob nukes at California.

That said:

Very serious persons told us that there was no way Trump would survive the primaries against Jeb Bush or Ted Cruz.
Very serious persons said that Trump could not possibly keep up the rage machine of his campaign through the elections.
Very serious persons told us there was no way Trump could beat Clinton.
Very serious persons told us that the GOP would keep him under control, that his rhetoric about banning Muslims and rounding up Mexicans was just bluster to get votes.
Very serious persons told us that a sane (if conservative) cabinet would keep him in check - then he added Rage Furby to his staff to help him pick people, weaponised the Press Office with Brietbart and SMOTI and Alex Freakin’ Jones.

Yeah, I’m going to conclude that he is a clear and present danger not just to progressive government programmes, but life in the USA.

The first, which is highly unlikely and possibly unconstitutional, would be Congress granting a state the right to leave. I believe there’s Supreme Court precedent that says there’s no inherent right to leave the Union….

There is Union artillery precededent that says there is no inherent right to leave the Union.

This shit was dumb when the RWNJs said it, and it’s no smarter on LGF. I’m chalking it up to shock, but it’s time to STFU and start doing the million small things that are part of the rebuilding.

Suggestion: apples, each of which has inscribed on it in chocolate “9.8m/s2”

We could also serve pi.

Considering the Minnesota librarian that had the huge turnout in a village like mine, we might have to prepare for an overwhelming response. Only ones out here signed up on the left side of the state, might wind up with folk from Scottsbluff and Alliance and Chadron here.

My wife put on a lecture (featuring her brother) on the geology of the Sandhills and how they were formed at the Public Library.

She was expecting maybe a dozen or so people from around here - I sabotaged her with a release to the NPR station in Alliance and about sixty people showed up.

A science march in Broadwater would certainly get the attention of the NPR station in Alliance and the state college in Chadron. Could be big. Never know.

Here they are presenting a film that celebrates hard-working white people and conservatives get upset because it reminds them that not all immigrants were Northern Europeans.

The Budweiser immigrants were German. Yesterday I saw a butthurt Deplorable grumbling about “military age young men scampering to America instead of fighting for their homeland” just before I blocked it.

Forced conscription for the Tsar’s or the Kaiser’s or the Sultan’s army motivated MANY MANY immigrants in the 19th century including Von Clownstick’s grandfather.

Just sent another guy to the ATM because all he had was plastic. We’ll see whether this one comes back.

He came back! $8.00 sale. That wouldn’t have qualified for a credit card even when I was taking them. I had a $20 minimum before it was ‘legal’ to have a minimum.

Then he showed me his bike with his dog in the trailer, and told me he was on a mobility scooter until a year ago (the guy, not the dog.) He has MS and, ‘decided to take his life back’ and now rides a bike for exercise and errands, which include indulging in photography.